Over in the Meadow: A Counting Rhyme

Over in the Meadow
in the sand in the sun
Lived an old mother turtle
and her little turtle one.

So begins this classic nursery poem, written by Olive A Wadsworth in the late 19th century, a favorite counting rhyme for generations of children. Anna Vojtech's sweet illustrations depict a sun-drenched meadow filled with loving animal families-from mother turtle with her one baby to ten little beavers embraced by their doting mother. There are lots to count in the cleverly designed pictures, and sharp-eyed youngsters will delight in finding a corresponding number of background details on each spread.

Anna Vojtech has illustrated numerous books for children, mostly folktales and stories about nature. Nature has always been a strong source of inspiration for Anna. Her pictures are full of flowers and animals, of giraffes and elephants, of little birds and chipmunks. Folktales are also about people, their nature and their spirit. Through her illustrations Anna has brought readers closer to our Native American heritage as well as the traditions of other nations.